Keyboard for computing-machines.



C. WALES. KEYBOARD FOR COMPUTING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED JULY 10.1913. RENEWED NOV. 11,1914.

1,154,355. PatentedSept. 21, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

. WITNESSES- I INVENTOR C. WALES.

KEYBOARD FOR COMPUTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10. 1913. RENEWED NOV. 11,1914.

Patented Sept. 21, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- INVENTOR I Arm/Macs 0. WALES. KEYBOARD FOR COMPUTING MAQHINESAPPLICATION FILED JULY 10, 1913- RENEWED NOV. HI 19M.

1,154,355. Patented Sept. 21, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W/T/VE88E8. v INVENTO)? A TTORNEL? C. WALES.

KEYBOARD FOR COMPUTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10, I913. RENEWED NOV. 11,1914. 1,154,355..

Patented Sept. 21, 1915.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

m M M N WITNESSES A TTORNE VS.

STATES PATENT orries.

CHARLES WALES, or NEW HAVEN, counncrrcunhssmnoa r0 'rnnwnrrnnnnmeMACHINE COMPANY,; OF NEW HAVEN,

NECTICUT.

Application filed July 10, 1913, Serial No. 778,329.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1,-GHARLES WALES, a citizen of theUnited States,residing at New Haven, New Haven county, Connecticut, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Keyboards for Computing-Machines, of which the following is. a full, clear, and exactdescription. 1

My invention relates to improvements in key-boards, more particularlykeyboard for computing machines.

The object of my invention is to provide a keyboard which can be easilyconverted from what is known as a flexible keyboard to what is knownas alocked keyboard, and vice-versa. A flexible keyboard is one in which ifone key is operated so as to be mechanically held in depressed position,the

other keys of that series are free to be operated, and upon theoperation of any other key of that series the first key will bereleased. A

. locked keyboard is a keyboard'such that if one key is actuated so asto be held'in 'depressed position, all the other keys are locked againstmovement until the locking means is released by other means than one ofthe other keys of the same series. Some operators pres fer one type ofkeyboard, while"- other operators prefer the other type of keyboard. By

my invention a single keyboard. can beconverted from one type to theother, so that a single machine will meetthe requirements of variousoperators who have different prefers ences in regard to the two typesfke'yr board. I p

The following is a description ofan em bodiment ofmy invention,reference being -f the same adjustment, one key havin had to theaccompanying drawings, in which-, v

, Figure 1 shows a longitudinal sectionof 8.

- key-board embodying my invention, so adjustedasto be of the' locked tyc. Fig. 2 shows a similar section of \the key oard {)vith een actuatedand theother .keys' being ocked a ainst movement. Fig. '3 shows a lontildmals'ection of the same keyboard so ad usted as to'be of theflexible t pe, one key being in actuated osition an releasable upon theactuating o any other key of thesame series, Fig. 4, isa transversesection of a 'ortion of the keyboard on the line 02-41:

Fi 3. Fig. 5, showsadetail.

eferring more particularly to the draw- .ings,"th e frame of thekeyboard is made up Specification of Letters Patent.

CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CON- KEYBOARD ron comru'rmo-mncnmns.

Renewed November 11, 1914. Serial No. 871,631.

Patented Sept. 21-, 1915. i

having slots embracing the lower ends of the key stems-3, and, togetherwith the cross bars 4, constituting guides for the lower ends of thosestems. The plates 5 also act as stop to limit the upward movement of thekey stems, the key stems being provided with projections 6, which, whenthe stems arein their uppermost positions, engage the under sidesof thehorizontal portions of the plates 5. The key stems are surrounded withsprings 7 resting on the upper surfaces of the bars 4 and plates 5 andtending to move the key stems upwardly. The lower ends of the key stemsare provided with sockets through which pass the bent ends 8 of indexwires 9 serving to release the initial stops (not shown) of the machineand to define the downward movement of the indexing sectors (notshown)., The key stem 3' does not actuate an index wire and pressed keywhenever a second .key of the same series is depressed. It is pivoted at12-12 inthe downturned upper and lower edges of the top plate 2, and isprovidedwith an arm 13 to which a spring 14 is connected so as to tendtokeep the flexible shutter in the depressed position shown' in Fig. 4.Whenever a numeral key is depressed, the stud 10 carried thereby movesthe flexible shutter sidewise and passes beneath it, whereupon theflexible shutter returns to normal position, and, engaging the upperside of the depressed stud which has assed beneath it, retains its keyin depresse position. If thfkeyboard is adjusted so as to be of theflexible type, the depression of any other key of the same series causesthe shutter 11 to release the stud of thekey already depressed, so thatit returns to normal position, the second depressed key being re-;tained in depressed position.

' keys a lock shutter 15. This lock shutter 15 into key-locking,position.

consists of a sliding plate parallel to the series of keys which itcontrols, and having extensions 16 and 17 sliding in openings in thelower and upper downturned edges'of the top plate 2. It is also providedwith a spring 18 which normall tends to move it toward the rear of thekeyboard. In this look shutter I provide a series of openings 19,preferably of an inverted U-shaped form. The front limbs of theseopenings lie with the upper end of their axes pointing forwardrelatively to the axes'of the adja-- centkey stems. The front edge ofthis limb provides a thrust surface used in moving theshutter. Each keystem is provided with a lateral projection 20, which, when the lockshutter is in its rearmost position, .lies in the upper part of thefront limb of the corresponding inverted U-shaped opening,

and provides a thrust surface coacting with the thrust surface of thatopening and normally in alinement therewith. Whenever a key isdepressed, its lateral projection 20 ongages the slanting front edge ofthe corresponding U-shaped opening and causes the lock shutter to moveforward against the action of its spring 18. This causes the upwardlyprojecting tongues 21 to move forward beneath the lateral projections 20of all the keys of a given series other than the depressed key of thatseries, looking all these other keys out of action. The projections 20and tongues 21, it will be seen, have stop surfaces which are normallyout of alinement, but are brought into alinement when a key is'depressedThe rear limbs of the U-shaped openings 19 are so shaped that when theshutter is thrown forward sufliciently, the downward movement of any keystem with its lateral projection 20 will not have any effect upon thelock shutter, or at least will not move the lock shutter When the lockshutter is thus moved forward, the upper ends of the tongues 21 lie wellin front of the lateral projections 20 so as not to block theirmovement. When the lock shutter is held in this forward position, thekeyboard becomes a flexible keyboard. In order to control the positionof .the lock shutter manuall so as to convert the keyboard into a'flexib e keyboard, I provide a key 22, which on its rear face isprovided with a notch 23. When this key .22 is depressed, the notch 23can be brought in engagement with the under side of the top plate 2,thus holding the controlling key in depressed po sition. Thiscontrolling key acts upon a lever 24 connected to a universal bar 25carrying lever arms 26 corresponding in number to the number of seriesof keys.

Each lever arm 26 engages a stud 27 upon the corresponding lockingplate. When the key 22 is depressed, the lever arms 26 engaging thestuds27, force the lock shutters forward against-the action of the springs 18so as to bring them into the position shown in Fig. 3, and hold-them inthat noncooperating position so long as the key 22 is held depressed bythe engagement of the notch 23 with the top plate 2. When the key 22 isdepressed, neither the thrust surfaces or the stop surfaces are inalinement and the lock shutter is therefore no longer in operativeposition. When the key 22 is released, the springs 18 return the lockshutters to their normal coiiperating position. The spring 22 restoresthe key 22 to its normal position. When the key 22 is actuated and thelock shutter thereby moved to the position shown in Fig. 3, the lockshutter is in such position that the ton ues 21 are all in front of thecorrespon ing lateral projections 20 and these lateral projections donot act upon the lock shutter to move the same, that is, the lockshutter is thrown entirely out of action and the keyboard becomes aflexible keyboard.

In order to release the flexible shutters 11, I provide a slide 28carried by the side frames and having an oblique slot 29 in which theend 30 of a lever 31 acts. This lever is pivoted at 32, and when itsforward end is depressed, moves the slide 28 to the right. The slide 28is provided with notches 33 in which the downward edges of the flexibleshutters lie, and when the slide is moved to the right, the ri ht handedges of these notches engage the exible shutters so as to move them tothe left, releasing any studs 10 that are carried by any depressed keys,so as to permit the keys to return to their normal position. This sameslide may be used to simultaneously release all depressed keys, bothwhen the keyboard is adjusted so as to be of the flexible type and whenit is adjusted so as to be of the locked type. The depression of anumeral key causes its lower end to act upon the bent end of thecorresponding index wire 9 and force that index wire. to move toward therear, as shown at 9 in Figs. 2 and 3, so as to release the initial stop(not shown) and define the movement of the indexing sector (not shown).The slide 28 has portions lying directly beneath the lock shutters 15and in close proximity thereto about midway between the two ends of thelock shutter and therefore acts to prevent injury to any lock shutter incase an attempt should be made to force down a second key when one hasalready been depressed and the keyboard is adjusted so as to be of thelocked type.

The rear limbs of the openings 19 in the lock shutter should be of suchshape that when the keyboard is adjusted-so as to be of p the flexibletype, the lateral projections -will not in any way engage the sides ofthese rear limbs. The rear edges of the rear limbs. of these openingsmay be parallel to theaxes of the key stems.

As will be evident to those skilled in the art, my invention permits ofvarious modifications without departing from the spirit thereof or thescope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1 In a keyboard, the combination of a series of keys, a. flexibleshutter holding any manually depressed key in depressed position, a lockshutterholding the other keys against depression when .one key isdepressed, and movable into and out of operative position, means forlocking said lock shutter in non-operative position, meansfor releasingall keys controlled by either of said shutters, and a single actuatorfor said means.

2. In a keyboard, the combination of a series of keys, means forpreventing the depression of a second key when one is already indepressed position, the depressed key actuating. said means but notrestrained thereby, means for throwing said preventing means into andout of operation, and flexible means for holding any of said keys, whenactuated, in depressed position.

3. In a keyboard, the combination of a plurality of series of keys,means for preventing the "depression of a second key of any series whenone key of that series is already depressed, the depressed key actuatingsaid means but not restrained thereby, means for throwing saidpreventing means into and out of operation, flexible means for holdingany of said keys, when actuated, in depressed position, and means forsimultaneously releasing the flexible means from the depressed keys ofall of said series.

4. In a keyboard, the combination of a plurality of series of keys, aplurality of flexible shutters for holding any of said keys in depressedposition, a plurality of locking shutters each preventing the depressionof a second key in its series when any key of that series is already indepressed position, the depressed key actuating said shutter but notrestrained thereby, and having a cooperating position and anon-cooperating position, means normally tending to move said lockingshutters to one of said positions, means for manually throwing saidlocking shutters into the other ofsaid positions, and means formechanically holding said looking shutters in non-operative position.

- In a keyboard, the combination of a plurality of series of keys, aplurality of flexible shutters for holding an of said keys -in depressedposition, a plurality of locking shutters each preventing thedepressionof a second key in its series when any key of that series-is already indepressed position,- the ries of keys, a pivoted flexible shutter havingits axis parallel to said series, a sliding lock shutter parallel tosaid series preventing the depression of a second key when any key ofthe series is already in depressed po sition, the depressed keyactuating said lock shutter but not restrained thereby, said lockshutter being movable into an operative position and into anon-operative position, means for moving said lock shutter from one ofsaid positions to the other, and means for mechanically holding saidlock'shutter in non-operative position.

' 7. In a keyboard, the combinationof a se-- ries of keys, a pivoted.flexible shutter having its axis parallel to said series, a sliding lockshutter parallel to said series preventing the depression of a secondkey when any key of the series is already in depressed position, thedepressed key actuating said lock shutter but not restrained thereby,said lock shutter being movable into an operative position and into anon-operative position, a spring normally tending to move said lockshutter into operative position, manual means for moving said lockshutter into nonoperative position, and means for mechanically holdingsaid lock shutter in non-operative position.

8. In a keyboard, the combination. of a series of keys, alock shutterfor said keys, said keysand shutter each having coacting stop surfacesand coacting thrust surfaces, the stop surfaces being normally out ofalinement and the thrust surfaces normally in alinement, but acting whena key is de';. pressed to move the stop surfaces into alinement, andmeans for moving said shutter 'so that bothv the stop surfaces and thethrust surfaces are out of alinement.

9. The combination-of depressible springsustained keys, detent-means fordetaining them slngly when depressed, with provisions for releasing onekey by depression of ansame series; locking means for each series ofkeys and rendered effective by depression of a key of the series to lockout all other keys of that series; and manipulative means common to thelocking means of all series, for disabling the same collectively.

11. The combination of several series of depressible spring-sustainedkeys; detent means for; each series to detain any one key thereof withprovisions for releasing a depressed key by depression of another of theocking means for each series same series; ofkey'sand rendered efiectiveby depression a of a key of the series; to lock out all other by adepressed key being retained in locked position by the combined actionof said detent means and said depressed key.

CHARLES WALES.

Witnesses:

L. HARTLAND, B. BRUST.

